Dispensing-cabinet.



No. 759,724. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

J-. LINES. DISPENSING CABINET.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 8, 1903.

no MODEL. SSHEETS-SHEET 1.

F|G-|- Fl-G-2- [NI/EN TOR Jsse Lanes.

No. 759,724. PATENTED MAYlO, 1904. J. LINES.

DISPENSING CABINET.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. a, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

W1 TNESSES: [NVEN TOR (Z5 5 5 Lin 6/ a I mjwmmmey aummvusumonw u c lilo. 759,724.

UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

JESSE LINES, OF SABETHA, KANSAS.

DISPENSING-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,724, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed August 6, 1903.

To alZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ESSE LINES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sabetha, in the county of Nemaha and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dispensing-Gabinets, of which the following is a specification. 1 This invention relates to dispensingcabi nets, the same being especially designed for use in connection with seeds of various kinds, although the principles hereinafter set forth are applicable to a cabinet for dispensing articles of other kinds.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a cabinet which is divided off into compartments or bins adapted to contain articles of various kinds or grades and to provide each bin or compartment with a separate and independent controlling-valve, the said bins and valves being combined with a single spout or funnel which is common to all of the bins and the discharge end of which is located directly over the scoop-frame of a scale, whereby a portion of the contents of any desired bin may be allowed to escape into the spout or funnel and be thereby directed to the scoop.

Another object of the invention, is to so construct and arrange the operating devices of the valves that they will act to agitate and loosen the material in the bins, thereby insuring the discharge of the same into the spout or funnel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a movable pointer which is operated by the scales and which is movable across a dial or series of graduations which will enable the operator to simultaneously weigh the material and ascertain the price of the material so weighed.

ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a dispensing-cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the cabinet. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 3 and in line with the Serial No. l68,49l. (N0 model.)

Valves. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the cabinet. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the same. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the scale-beam and pointer; and Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the valves, showinglthe stem and push-button connected therewit 1.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawlngs.

I The cabinet contemplated in this invention comprises the back 1, front 2, which by preference is left partly open, as shown at 3, the sides or end pieces 4,.and hinged top or lid 5, by means of which access is to be had to the bins or compartments. At the top and front of the cabinet is arranged a series of bins or compartments 6. Three of the said compart; ments are shown for the sake of illustration; but the number of bins may be increased to any desired extent, according to the number of articles or different grades to be placed in the cabinet and dispensed therefrom. The front wall 2 of the cabinet constitutes the front of all the bins, while an inclined board 7 forms the back of all the bins and causes the material therein to gravitatetoward a discharge opening 8 in the bottom 9 of the bins, each bin being provided with a separate and independent discharge-opening 8.

Arranged in each of the openings 8 is a conical valve 10, which sits in the lower portion of such opening and is provided with a stem 11, extending upward through the opening 8 and also through the bin or compartment and provided at its upper end with a push-button 12, which operates in a vertical opening arranged directly over the discharge-opening 8 and extending through a guide-board 13, ex tending lengthwise over each of all of the bins, as shown in Fig. 4.

Extending beneath the board 13 is a strip 14, preferably of metal, the same being bent at points adjacent the openings 15.- in the board 13 to form depressed spring-seats 16, having openings 17 in the bottom thereof for the passage of the stems 11 of the valves. Within the depressed spring-seats 16 and the openings 15 are arranged spiral springs 18, coiled around the stems and interposed between the bottom of the spring-seats and the lower surfaces of the push-buttons 12, the tension of said springs being exerted to hold the push-buttons upward and the valves 10 closed.

Located within the cabinet and immediately beneath all of the discharge-openings is a spout or funnel 19, the upper portion of which is of sufficient size to include all of the discharge-openings 8, so that material passing through any one of said openings will enter and be received in said spout. The spout contracts toward its lower end, where it is provided with a small discharge-nozzle20, which lies directly over the scoop-frame of a pair of weighing-scales.

The weighing-scales, which are located in the bottom portion of the cabinet and beneath the spout or funnel 19, consist of a scale or balance beam 21, having attached thereto a counterbalance-weight 22, which operates to hold the scoop up close to the dischargenozzle of the spout, as shown in Fig. 4. Extending upward from one end of the scalebeam 21 is a yoke 23, having oppositely-arranged arms 24, which are perforated to form bearings for the oppositely-projecting pintles 25 of a scoop holder orframe 26, which thereby remains in a level position below the discharge end of the spout. Secured to the rear end of the pivot-bar 27, which extends backward and is rigidly secured to the scale-beam, is a pointer-arm 28, which extends upward along the back of the cabinet and within the same, the upper end of said arm being visi ble through-the open upper portion of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 4, where it is movable across series of graduations 29. These graduations may be numbered to designate ounces, pounds, or other weights, and one line of graduations is numbered to represent goods valued, for instance, at the rate of five cents per ounce, while the second line of perforations designate goods valued at a rate of, say, ten cents per ounce, and the third line of graduations fifteen cents. per ounce. Stops in the form of pins 30 are arranged to limit the movement of the pointer-arm in opposite directions and to assist the operator in determining the weight of each article as it is measured off.

After selecting the bin in which the particular goods to be sold are contained the operator presses the button arranged at the top of said bin. This displaces or unseats the corresponding valve 10 and allows the material to pass through the opening 8 into the spout or funnel, whence it is delivered into the scoop. When the pointer-arm reaches the final limit of its movement, the operator releases the push-button, and the valve automatically closes by the action of the spring 18, thereby cutting off the How of material. It makes no difference which one of the pushbuttons is depressed, the material contained within the bin represented by that push-button will gravitate into the spout or funnel and be delivered into the scoop. In operating each push-button the stem 11 thereof acts directly on the material contained within the bin to agitate and loosen said material and insure its discharge through the opening in the bottom of the bin.

Any number of bins or compartments may be employed. The cabinet as a whole is made of any size or material, and the construction of the weighing apparatus may be changed. These and other changes in the form, proportions,and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A dispensing-cabinet comprising a series of bins or compartments, each of which is provided with a discharge-opening in its bottom, a cone-shapedvalve closing the lower end of each discharge-opening and provided with a stem extending upward through a bin and provided with a push-button at its upper end, a depressed spring-seat in the upper portion of each bin, a valve-controlling spring mounted in said seat and acting to hold the valve closed, a spout or funnel arranged beneath and common to all of the discharge-openings of the several bins, and a weighing device located beneath the discharge end of said spout or funnel.

2. A dispensing-cabinet comprisinga series of bins or compartments, each of which is provided with a discharge-opening at its bottom, a spring-controlled and push-bLitton-operated valve controlling each opening, a spout or funnel arranged beneath and common to all of the discharge-o'penings, a weighing device located immediately under the discharge end of said spout or funnel, and a pointer-arm connected with the weighing device and movable across a graduated scale by means of which the weight or price of the material being weighed is visually indicated.

In testimony whereof I al'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE LINES. Vitnesses:

ROY H ESS ELTINE, J. C. LIOI-ITY. 

